Sony X900E series is the second top model of Sony’s 2017 4K TV lineup X Series while Sony X930D along with X940D is the top model of Sony’s 2016 4K TV lineup series 6. Both of them offer stunning picture quality for their price range. In the market, X900E series is available on 4 screen sizes, 49 Inch (XBR49X930E), 55 Inch (XBR55X930E), 65 Inch (XBR65X900E), and 75 Inch (XBR75X900E). Meanwhile, X930D series is only available on 2 screen sizes, 55 Inch (XBR55X930D) and 65 Inch (XBR65X930D). So, this comparison certainly applies for 55 Inch (XBR55X900E vs XBR55X930D) and 65 Inch (XBR65X900E vs XBR65X930D). Nevertheless, because X930D series is 2016 model and there is already the successor X930E, as soon as possible, this model certainly will be discontinued by Sony as its manufacturer. One of the disadvantages of Sony X900E than the older model X930D series is about 3D technology where X900E series is not equipped with 3D technology while X930D comes with active 3D technology. The advantages of X900E series as the newer model, it comes with new 4K HDR Processor X1 engine with some improvements.

In the market, Sony X900E as a newer model is sold about hundreds dollar more expensive, whether it is for 55 Inch or 65 Inch. But of course, their prices certainly is not fixed and could still change at any time, even usually tends to down as time goes by, especially for the price of X900E that has just been launched in the market.

As we see on comparison table above, Sony X900E is powered by new 4K HDR Processor X1 engine while X930D series is powered by 4K Processor X1 Engine. The difference between these processors is about the technology which embedded inside them. Inside 4K Processor X1 as the image engine of X930D, there are Dynamic Contrast Enhancer and Precision Color Mapping embedded, while inside new 4K HDR Processor X1 engine, there are Dynamic Contrast Enhancer, Super Bit Mapping 4K HDR and Object Based HDR Remaster technology. As the impact of the differences technologies which embedded is about color gradient of the picture that produced by them due Super Bit Mapping 4K HDR and quality of the picture that produced due and Object Based HDR Remaster technology, especially when they are displaying SDR contents.

As we see on comparison table above, Sony X930D comes with Sony’s advanced Edge-Lit with local dimming technology called Slim backlight Drive while Sony X930D comes with Direct LED Full Array LED backlighting with local dimming. Theoretically, Full Array Local Dimming offer better performance than Edge Lit Local Dimming, especially on black level and black uniformity that produced. Nevertheless, this also depends on the number of dimming zones of local dimming itself. But unfortunately, Sony doesn’t completely describe the number of dimming zones of local dimming behind X900E and X930D series. Additionally, Sony X930D and X900E is also powered by the different level of X-tended Dynamic Range technology. Sony X900E is powered by X-Tended Dynamic Range Pro 5X while X930D is powered by X-Tended Dynamic Range Pro.

3D Technology

As we have mentioned above, in 2017, Sony has removed 3D technology from their lineup including X900E while X930D still comes with active 3D technology. Their difference about 3D technology is very clear so this doesn’t need further explanation. But even so, talking about 3D performance that offered by X930D, it is very great. 3D image that is displayed on the screen of X930D looks smooth and clear with tons of depth. Additionally, crosstalk that usually becomes a downside of 3D images is not too noticeable on the screen of X930D. The other advantage, active 3D also ensures each of eyes can receive full resolutions of 3D images. But unfortunately, there are no active 3D glasses included in the box, so to still enjoy 3D contents on the screen of X930D, you must buy active 3D glasses separately that course its price is not as cheap as passive 3D glasses.

Audio System

Sony X900E comes with standard audio system that is 2.0 channel speaker system sound outputs 10 watt + 10 watt with bass reflex speaker type. Meanwhile, Sony X930D comes with 2.2 channel speaker system with sound output 7.5W+7.5W+7.5W+7.5W with both of main speaker and subwoofer use Bass Reflex Speaker Type. The result, Sony X930D offers more impressive sound quality, especially for low frequency or bass due there is subwoofer behind X930D. Nevertheless, because their speaker is installed on slim panel and there is no decent space for resonance, their audio performance doesn’t match to what offered by stand alone sound bar. This means if you care about sound quality, the addition of external sound bar is still recommended, even for X930D that already has subwoofer.

Sony X900E vs X930D Performance

Picture Quality

As we have mentioned above, overall, picture quality that produced by Sony X900E and X930D is good, even when they are used in a dark room that needs very deep black level and strong contrast. Compare between them, black level and contrast of Sony X900E is deeper and stronger than X930D, even native contrast ratio that produced by X900E series is nearly doubled than what reached by X930D. Because black level reached by X900E is deeper than X930D, this makes when in used in dark room, X900E certainly offers slight better picture quality than X930D series, especially when they are displaying HDR contents. Nevertheless, black level reached by X930D is also quite enough to reveal detail images in dark scenes.

Otherwise, peak brightness reached by Sony X930D is slight brighter than Sony X900E, whether when they are displaying SDR or HDR contents. But even so, although its peak brightness is not as bright as what reached by X930D, the picture that displayed on the screen of X900E is still quite bright. It is quite enough to maintain the quality of the picture from degradation caused by glare or reflections when they are used in a bright room. Even in a very bright room that has sunlight coming in through a window, picture that displayed on their screen still looks consistently, no matter they are displaying SDR or HDR contents

Moving on color performance, the color of the picture that displayed on each of their screen also looks very saturated. This cannot be separated from great performance of combination of TriLuminos Display and new 4K HDR Processor. Even color gamut what delivered by them is quite enough to display HDR contents that required far wider color coverage. The result, color of HDR or SDR picture that displayed on each of their screen looks very accurate that make the picture looks natural. In addition to accurate color, color gradient of the picture that produced by them also looks smoothly. This cannot be separated from their great performance when processing 10 bit depth of color that allows they can provide about 1.08 billion shades of color.

From all display specs that offered by them, overall, Sony X900E offers slight better picture quality than X930D series, no matter they are displaying SDR or HDR contents. Additionally, with new 4K HDR processor X1 engine behind it where there is Object Based HDR Remaster technology inside where it enhances the contrast and color of contents mastered in SDR in such away, this allows you to enjoy SDR contents in close to HDR quality on the screen of X900E.

Winner: X900E

Side Viewing Angle

Poor Side Viewing angle is the major downside of both Sony X900E and X930D. The quality of the picture displayed on their screen will start to deteriorate at 20 degrees off center and front. This is due both of the use VA panel technology as their panel. As we know, poor side viewing angle is a native characteristic of VA panel. Nevertheless, they are not alone. All of LED TVs even premium LED TVs that use VA panel also has the same problem about side viewing angle.

Winner: Tie (Equally Poor)

UHD Up-scaling

As we know, great UHD Up-scaling engine is the one of the most important aspects of 4K TV due most of the contents that available in the market still have lower resolution than 4K. For this case, Sony TV including X900E and X930D is the best. Combination of 4K X-Reality Pro and X1 engine behind them make lower resolution can be up-scaled to near 4K resolution sharply and clearly. Even low resolution 480p contents like DVD movies still looks sharply and clearly with small detail preserved well once it is up-scaled to 4K quality. The better result certainly was reached when the resolution of the sources is higher. Even when the source is Blu Ray Movies with 1080p resolution, the final image in 4K resolution that produced is not much different to when they are playing native 4K sources.

Winner: Tie

Motion Blur and 24p Playbacks

Sony X900E and X930D are great TVs when used for watching sports program or movies. Their pixel response time is pretty quick that means when you use them for watching fast moving images like sports program or fast movies, the picture looks very smooth with virtually no motion blur noticeable. Following the fast moving objects, there is only a short trail and this should not be noticeable for most of people. Additionally, when they are used for watching movies, both of them also offers clear and smooth picture quality without judder at any sources. No matter it is 24p movies like Blu Ray movies, 24p via 60p signals like movies from streaming media or 24p via 60i signals like movies from satellite TV, judder can be removed completely without adding soap opera effect. For removing judder, you just need to set ‘True Cinema’ and ‘CineMotion’ to high.

Winner: Tie

Inputs/outputs

Both Sony X900E and X930D are equally equipped with 4 HDMI ports and 3 USB ports as their major connectivity. But about the input lag of their HDMI ports, overall, input lags of X900E is lower than the input lag of X930D series at any sources. This mean when used for playing video games, X900E is better than X930D. Playing any kind of games with any resolution on X900E feels comfort without laggy. Nevertheless, playing 1080p games on X930D might still feels comfort, but when playing 4K games on X930D, its input lags is still a bit too high. In addition to HDMI and USB Ports, both of them are also equipped with identical inputs/outputs. There are 2 Composite IN (AV In), 1 Component In, 1 RF In, 1 Ethernet In, and others. The difference between them is where all of their inputs/outputs ports are installed.

Winner: X900E

Smart TV

Sony Android TV

Overall, both of Sony X900E and X930D feature the same smart TV platform that is Google android TV. The difference is about their version where X900e comes with latest version of Android OS or precisely 6.0 version while X930D features previous version. Nevertheless, features and performance that offered by them is not far different.

Navigating on Google android TV is relatively tends to be more difficult than other smart TV platforms like WebOS by LG or Tizen by Samsung. Fortunately, there is ‘Action Menus’ button where once it is pressed, a quick list of popular setting will pop up, so you don’t need to navigate via the main menu setting. This reduces the shortcomings of Android TV about its difficulty to navigation. In other hand, the strength point of Android TV is about the apps provided on Google Play Store where there are tons of apps from a lot of developers provided. There are most popular apps like YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Video, Web Browser, Cloud Games Services like Play Station Now, and many more. Additionally, both of them also support ChromeCast app that allows you cast your video contents from your smart phones or tablet directly to your TV.

As the controller, both of them are equipped with Sony Basic Remote with many buttons provided. This remote is also equipped with built in microphone for voice navigation functionality or search on the internet via Google Voice Search. And with IR blaster included in the box, this allows you to control your other devices connected onto your Sony TV via HDMI ports with Sony Remote.

Conclusion

The major advantage of X930D as the older series is about 3D technology where it comes with active 3D technology while X900E is not equipped with 3D technology. Nevertheless, as we have discussed a lot above, although peak brightness reached by X930D is slight brighter but overall, picture that displayed on the screen of X900E is slight better, no matter they are inputted by HDR or SDR contents. This is due black level, contrast, and color gamut delivered by X900E is better than what reached by X930D. Additionally, Sony X900E is also offers better input lags that makes it is better when used for playing video games than X930D series. The excepting of picture quality, 3D and input lags, what offered by them are similar.

So which is a better choice for your? As we have mentioned above, despite their price could still change at any time, when I was writing this comparison, Sony X900E is sold about hundreds dollar more expensive than X930D. Of course, now the decision comes back to you according to your needs and preferences. If 3D technology is not your major consideration in buying TV, of course X900E is a better choice despite you must spend about hundreds dollar more. In addition to it is a newer model, it also offers better picture quality in HDR or SDR and low input lag that makes you more comfort when playing games. Meanwhile, if 3D is one of your main considerations in buying TVs, of course X930D is a better choice for you and you should get it immediately considering there is no Sony 3D TV that released in 2017, and as an older model, as soon as possible, X930D certainly will be discontinued by its manufacturer. Finally, before you decide to choose one of them, there are a lot of opinions from each of their real customers where you can make as your further consideration.

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